


Ego

by Arka W (arka_r)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Demetrius Project, Gen, also mentions of incestuous message if you squint, mentions of rape and violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-29
Updated: 2012-05-29
Packaged: 2017-11-06 05:41:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/415373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arka_r/pseuds/Arka%20W
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being the Oracle of God doesn’t mean you are humble and saint. Who said that he has to, anyway?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ego

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little test-drive of what might be larger series in the future, which is so why I decided to dig up the characterization through series of ficlets. You readers, of course, are not familiar with the characters and the universe, as this is my own original work. Thus I apologize and hope that you will enjoy the ride.

Chronus loves his ‘family’. 

It’s a mashed-up family, that its members are drawn by him. They’re not related by blood, of course, but so what? He likes the fact that he is loved. He likes the fact that he is cherished. He likes the fact that there are someone who will protect him for any harm, like fight to death for him.

This is his ego. Being the Oracle of God doesn’t mean you are humble and saint. People kneel before him. So why bother?

When he is asked why he refuses to kill, he laughed it off. He said he believes in second chance. After that, Hygeia sees him as a pacifist, Aidan sees him as a saint, and Meredith sees him as coward. But what do they know what’s inside his head? What do they know how his logic works? It’s not because he treasures every single life on Demetria—he’s **_not_** that saint. But when you know, there are far crueler ways to evince his intention like “I’m the King and you **_have_** to listen to **_my_** words”, other than killing—and Chronus knows this. He knows precisely what breaks people’s heart, what makes them broken. It’s not his Phoenix Incantations that weaponize him, nor his sword, nor his power to bend Nature as he wishes. It is his ability to see through people.

He never tell lies. But it doesn’t mean he won’t deceive people. He just leaves the truth untold.

•

He remembers the first time his pride battered. On the House of Klingel, when he was eight. It was when Janus is having a visit to the Factory but Chronus isn’t. As he recites what Mom said, “Janus is older and bigger. But Chronus, you’re still a Manni.”

Little Mannan.

A **_kid_**.

An insult. Straight to Chronus’ pride.

Sure yeah, Janus was bigger than him, given that he’s an Aelion child that height triples over Chronus’ own, so why bother to bring the _little kid_ out? He doesn’t actually annoyed that the fact he won’t get to ‘tink some trinkets’. Why would he want to smash iron plates and smear stinky Cisalia oils to his pretty face? Well, aside from getting a lil’ bit deaf. And _trippy_.

So when Janus is off to the Factory like an overexcited puppy, Chronus stayed in his room and weaved his Incantation to create something that latter will impress Mom over than anything Janus did in the Factory. He succeeded anyway. The House was cheered that night. Not because of prototype of something that Janus made in the Factory, but for that spinning-glowing little artifact Chronus had made with some little magical tricks.

Janus sulked in the corner, playing his little prototype on his hands while watching his adoptive little brother on the center of the room. Chronus threw him a glance. His intention was clear.

_I don’t like to be the second._

•

Various events happened and that scrawny little kid grows into scrawny guy in his late-teen age. His Incantation is bright already and his wisdom is so stunning it’s almost inhuman. Sure, of course, he’s not actually _mere_ humans. He is the destined King of the World, what do you expect?

He wreaks havoc here and there, not even trying to be subtle in his actions and intentions (though he can, he just chooses not to). And so, people _finally_ notices his presence. As the Guardian of Time. As the Chosen One, the Savior. He can’t hide the fact that he actually **_enjoys_** to be in the centre of attention. He means it, how cannot you dislike those _badass_ call-names? Those are parts of his identity. He likes how the words roll on his tongue whenever he gets to mention them.

Those whose he protects praises him. His enemies cower for his presence, loathe him behind his back. He can do **_anything_** he likes and people still approve. It’s one point plus of being Nature’s spoiled child.

Then things continue to roll and his words become unwritten law people should obey. Slavery is wrong because he says so. War should be stopped because he says so. People should be live in peace because **_he_** says so.

When he causes maelstrom in the epicenter of war, it’s not because it’s wrong and ticked off his conscience. Rather it’s more like something he’ll do in his spare time, like a hobby. When he declares war with Major Alliance, it’s because he feels like to. When he saves innocent civilians, it’s because he feels like to. When he kicks Major Alliance Troops’ asses, it’s because he feels like to. When he takes Aidan as pupil, when he sets free slaves and prisoners of war, when he strips Meredith off from her status as Guardian of Water, when he replaces Meredith with Clifford as Alandrians’ leader—it’s **_all_** because **_he_** feels like to.

“It’s always all about **_you_** , and not about **_they_**.”

The intensity of such words clobbered his face. **_Hard_**. Chronus left stunned, mouth slightly open to rebuke, but he was cut off straightaway.

The first person who got some guts to shove The Words (it deserves capitalization, because _reasons_ ) straight to him is Shandar. _That_ Shandar a.k.a Shandar Erik-Lamhadain, one of twelve Major Alliance Troops Lieutenant General (ex, Chronus adds mentally), Master of Magical Arts Dragon Incantation, and his own _blood brother_.

(Though he just found out that last fact about, like, ten hours? —whatever)

It’s like petty gratitude, really, after Chronus flipped all the shits and stormed to save his ass (literally) and dignity from being non-consensually _gangbanged_ in front of thousands eyes of the Alandrians, as the punishment of his involvement with the Major Alliance.

He, Chronus Erik-Lamhadain, the Highness King of the World, personally saved a just-nobody. And who does he think he is?

Right. Shandar.

His _damn_ big brother.

Shandar continues to ramble on how _miserable_ and _unjust_ his life is, how _everything_ has been taken off from him since the day Chronus born into this world, how his mother— _their_ mother—died a dog’s death to protect her sons, how he was taken into imprisonment and brain-washed and tortured in any inhuman ways in the exchange  of Chronus’ freedom, and Chronus’ brain suddenly stopped working. He is really tempted to give snide remark, something like “Welcome to the Life, bro”—but no. No, because Chronus is just sitting there, staring with that kind of expression ‘What the Fuck’ as his brother slumps into broken thing and sobs. It is really pathetic thing to see.

For the first time _ever_ , he thinks about the other.

“You shouldn’t have to listen to him”, Aidan grudgingly comments. If it’s not because of Ge holding him down, Aidan will attempt to burn Shandar alive for his rude comments. They were enemies before, anyway.

Chronus merely hums but does not answer. His arms and feet sprawled ungracefully on the forest floor, the place they reside that night. As Aidan had put it abruptly, everyone else would be seeking their own demise to speak in such manner to the Guardian of Time.

But fortunately or unfortunately, whichever applies, Shandar is not mere ‘everyone else’. He is Chronus’ brother and Chronus’ feels is kinda _complicated_ about him. Aidan (also everyone else) didn’t see like what Chronus saw. They didn’t see when his brother slumps like a broken marionette. They didn’t see his Fragments of Memory. They didn’t see—which makes Chronus’ stomach churn, and for the first time _ever_ realizes _why_ Major Alliance is **_detestable_** —how he, as a teenager, was tortured in a dark enclosed room, shoulders broken and legs chained, unable to move, unable to seek for help, unable to scream because there were no voices left, and be treated even lower than animals, as dogmas are being nailed into his mind. They didn’t see how his _brother_ was made into a puppet, to be moved as the puppet-master’s will.

For the first time _ever_ , he feels a surge of violence, of _vengeance_ , for someone else on the top of that. He feels like he wants totorture whoever tortured his brother and barely keep them just one blink away from death. He feels like he wants to rip their stomach open then tie their hands and gag their mouths with their own intestines.

He feels like he _wants_ to **_kill_**. For **_his brother_** ’s sake.

He then compares on how different their lives are. Two siblings, but how come they become so different? Like the two sides of the coin. The Positive and the Negative. The Good and the Evil. The Day and the Night. In the very same time as Shandar was being made into a punchbag for the Major Alliance’s higherups fatso, Chronus is frolicking about as Duchess of Klingel’s second son (though adoptive, yes, but why mind?). Chronus is representation of Good, while Shandar is representation of Evil. Chronus stands for the innocent people, while Shandar is beating the life off those innocent people.

Chronus curses the Fate for being more douche than Chronus already is. He feels like he’s going to attempt a _coup_ , if possible, against Fate.

He’ll save the world because he feels like it, not because Fate said so. He’ll make sure he will stop Major Alliance and their plan, whatever it is, because he feels like it, not because Fate said so. And yes, he _will_ have his _family_ by his side, and that includes that stupid, miserable brother of him. Because, yes, **_he_** so goddamn feels like it.

He was the Guardian of Time, the King of the World, the Oracle of God, the Chosen One, the Savior.

From today onwards, he’s just Chronus.

•


End file.
